2009 Chicago Bears offseason

[RedFlash]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/bears/1372863,CST-SPT-afcside12.article

 

Byron Leftwich a Bear? I mean he is the Black version of Drew Bledsoe, for the good and bad. If the Bears are considering Leftwich in the offseason, then they BETTER upgrade the offensive line (Jordan Gross, come on down for starters). I know upgrading the OL should be a priority anyways, but if you are going to bring in Leftwich, you better be aggressive in upgrading the OL.

[Banedon]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/bears/1372863,CST-SPT-afcside12.article

 

Byron Leftwich a Bear? I mean he is the Black version of Drew Bledsoe, for the good and bad. If the Bears are considering Leftwich in the offseason, then they BETTER upgrade the offensive line (Jordan Gross, come on down for starters). I know upgrading the OL should be a priority anyways, but if you are going to bring in Leftwich, you better be aggressive in upgrading the OL.

 

I've only seen Leftwich once this season, and that was last night. And he threw a laser that should have been hauled in. I was impressed, though it was only a single pass of course. Orton hasn't thrown a ball like that...that's for sure.

[XZero771679666304]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/bears/1372863,CST-SPT-afcside12.article

 

Byron Leftwich a Bear? I mean he is the Black version of Drew Bledsoe, for the good and bad. If the Bears are considering Leftwich in the offseason, then they BETTER upgrade the offensive line (Jordan Gross, come on down for starters). I know upgrading the OL should be a priority anyways, but if you are going to bring in Leftwich, you better be aggressive in upgrading the OL.

 

I've only seen Leftwich once this season, and that was last night. And he threw a laser that should have been hauled in. I was impressed, though it was only a single pass of course. Orton hasn't thrown a ball like that...that's for sure.

 

 

Considering what the Bears have had at QB in recent years, Leftwich would be fine by me.

[CubColtPacer]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/bears/1372863,CST-SPT-afcside12.article

 

Byron Leftwich a Bear? I mean he is the Black version of Drew Bledsoe, for the good and bad. If the Bears are considering Leftwich in the offseason, then they BETTER upgrade the offensive line (Jordan Gross, come on down for starters). I know upgrading the OL should be a priority anyways, but if you are going to bring in Leftwich, you better be aggressive in upgrading the OL.

 

I've only seen Leftwich once this season, and that was last night. And he threw a laser that should have been hauled in. I was impressed, though it was only a single pass of course. Orton hasn't thrown a ball like that...that's for sure.

 

Leftwich has a great arm. The problem with him has always been twofold. He always throws a laser beam, no matter if the receiver is 2 or 20 yards away from him. That led to a lot of busted screen plays when the RB's would drop the ball that was hammered into their chest.

Second, he has a very long throwing motion. So that means he fumbles quite a bit more than the average QB and also tends to take some terrible sacks.

[jersey cubs fan]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/bears/1372863,CST-SPT-afcside12.article

 

Byron Leftwich a Bear? I mean he is the Black version of Drew Bledsoe, for the good and bad. If the Bears are considering Leftwich in the offseason, then they BETTER upgrade the offensive line (Jordan Gross, come on down for starters). I know upgrading the OL should be a priority anyways, but if you are going to bring in Leftwich, you better be aggressive in upgrading the OL.

 

He's a lumbering QB, like Bledsoe, but he isn't half the passer Drew was. I like Leftwich, but again, the problem remains the Bears offensive line. A guy that moves as poorly as Leftwich with that slow delivery is going to get killed, and turn the ball over far too frequently. He'd be a better backup than Grossman was this year though.

[Soul]

If Leftwich wouldn't cost us draft picks, then he wouldn't hurt our ability to fix other areas. I'd bring him in as depth, but not as the declared starter.

[rchap24]

If Leftwich wouldn't cost us draft picks, then he wouldn't hurt our ability to fix other areas. I'd bring him in as depth, but not as the declared starter.

 

Would Pitt let him go that easy?...I feel like Big Ben gets hurt a lot so Leftwich gets more time than you think

[Soul]

If Leftwich wouldn't cost us draft picks, then he wouldn't hurt our ability to fix other areas. I'd bring him in as depth, but not as the declared starter.

 

Would Pitt let him go that easy?...I feel like Big Ben gets hurt a lot so Leftwich gets more time than you think

 

I don't know. I was speculating that IF he didn't cost us picks it might make sense to me. If they're asking for anything of value in terms of the draft -- in particular, this year's draft -- then forget it.

[jersey cubs fan]

If Leftwich wouldn't cost us draft picks, then he wouldn't hurt our ability to fix other areas. I'd bring him in as depth, but not as the declared starter.

 

Would Pitt let him go that easy?...I feel like Big Ben gets hurt a lot so Leftwich gets more time than you think

 

I believe they signed him to a one year deal this offseason. It's not like they are married to the guy. They have never shied away from letting free agents walk. I doubt they'd go out of their way to keep him around.

[wekse]

If Leftwich wouldn't cost us draft picks, then he wouldn't hurt our ability to fix other areas. I'd bring him in as depth, but not as the declared starter.

 

Would Pitt let him go that easy?...I feel like Big Ben gets hurt a lot so Leftwich gets more time than you think

 

your feelings would be wrong...

[rchap24]

If Leftwich wouldn't cost us draft picks, then he wouldn't hurt our ability to fix other areas. I'd bring him in as depth, but not as the declared starter.

 

Would Pitt let him go that easy?...I feel like Big Ben gets hurt a lot so Leftwich gets more time than you think

 

your feelings would be wrong...

 

yeah he starts almost every game, but he gets taken out for little injuries a lot and Leftwich or Batch have had to come in

[jersey cubs fan]

If Leftwich wouldn't cost us draft picks, then he wouldn't hurt our ability to fix other areas. I'd bring him in as depth, but not as the declared starter.

 

Would Pitt let him go that easy?...I feel like Big Ben gets hurt a lot so Leftwich gets more time than you think

 

your feelings would be wrong...

 

Big Ben does get hurt a lot. He doesn't miss a lot of games, but he gets taken out fairly frequently. I think Byron entered 3 games this year after Ben was taken out for health reasons, and another 1 or 2 just to get reps.

[Guest]

Despite having a slower windup than Greg Maddux, Byron would be a great challenger to Orton in training camp. But as goony said, he needs a better offensive line.

[gflore34]

The talk of Warner and Leftwich doesn't make sense to me, most especially if they're going to be put behind the same OL and have the same set of WR options. Both would end performing about as well as Orton. Why not focus upon upgrading the OL and finding some WR's who can get open and, when they do, catch the ball. Which leads me to question for the football experts - why do rebuilding teams oftentimes focus on the QB position when their offensive and defensive lines are so poor? Take the Lions, I believe many mock drafts have them taking Stafford with the #1 pick, why not go for the top offensive guard or tackle?

[Soul]

Personally I don't think it likely that many QBs would succeed in our offense, and I strongly suspect that somewhere in the past several decades years of QB failures, we probably destroyed a QB or two that would have been decent with proper coaching/development and a supporting cast.

 

It's really, really hard to miss on a position for so many decades. You'd get lucky at least once, if you had the other pieces in place. You'd have to. Look at guys like Romo, or Warner. They're just guys off the street who developed into solid QBs.

 

The Bears need to fix the infrastructure that perpetuates QB badness. Until then, we'll be bringing in guys, declaring them "bad", and recycling, forever. Some of those guys could probably have been good, or at least serviceable. The real thing that is bad is the Bears inability to support and develop QBs.

[tfarks]

I would like to see Jordan Gross signed in the offseason, then DE/WR/OG in the first 3 rounds. Leftwich and Orton competing for the QB spot is fine with me.

[cubweiser03]

Gross is going to get LT money. I dont think its worth the $ to pay him that and move him to LG or RT. Carolina is going to franchise either Gross or Peppers, id prefer they franchise Gross so the Bears can go after Peppers.

[dew1679666265]

The talk of Warner and Leftwich doesn't make sense to me, most especially if they're going to be put behind the same OL and have the same set of WR options. Both would end performing about as well as Orton. Why not focus upon upgrading the OL and finding some WR's who can get open and, when they do, catch the ball. Which leads me to question for the football experts - why do rebuilding teams oftentimes focus on the QB position when their offensive and defensive lines are so poor? Take the Lions, I believe many mock drafts have them taking Stafford with the #1 pick, why not go for the top offensive guard or tackle?

 

I've seen some mocks with them taking Andre Smith from Bama. It'd be a great choice (though either Bradford or Stafford would as well, but that line needs to be fixed).

[jersey cubs fan]

The talk of Warner and Leftwich doesn't make sense to me, most especially if they're going to be put behind the same OL and have the same set of WR options. Both would end performing about as well as Orton. Why not focus upon upgrading the OL and finding some WR's who can get open and, when they do, catch the ball. Which leads me to question for the football experts - why do rebuilding teams oftentimes focus on the QB position when their offensive and defensive lines are so poor? Take the Lions, I believe many mock drafts have them taking Stafford with the #1 pick, why not go for the top offensive guard or tackle?

 

The one thing that does make sense is those guys would be free agents, and it would allow the Bears to spend draft picks on the line and WR still. I think Warner is too old and will be too expensive after this playoff run to justify bringing to this team. Leftwich could be a smart choice because it's doubtful he'll be all that highly sought after.

[mordecaibrown]

With Dungy now retired, anyone think these two might be in the Bears plans?

 

Alan Williams-DB Coach

http://www.colts.com/sub.cfm?page=coachbio&coach_id=24

 

Ron Meeks-D Coordinator

http://www.colts.com/sub.cfm?page=coachbio&coach_id=23

[dew1679666265]

With Dungy now retired, anyone think these two might be in the Bears plans?

 

Alan Williams-DB Coach

http://www.colts.com/sub.cfm?page=coachbio&coach_id=24

 

Ron Meeks-D Coordinator

http://www.colts.com/sub.cfm?page=coachbio&coach_id=23

 

I'd be shocked if any of the Colt coaches leave. Jim Caldwell is being promoted from within (it appears) and I'd assume he'd keep the same style on both sides of the ball.

[Rex Buckingham]

It's really, really hard to miss on a position for so many decades. You'd get lucky at least once, if you had the other pieces in place. You'd have to. Look at guys like Romo, or Warner. They're just guys off the street who developed into solid QBs.

 

While Warner may not have had a decorated college career at all; Romo did have an outstanding career at Eastern Illinois University. He was a 3 time I-AA All-American, 3 time OVC player of the year, and in his senior year he won the Walter Payton award as I-AA player of the year. Yeah, it was I-AA; but he's certainly not the first, and won't be the last, player from that level to succeed in the NFL

[Soul]

It's really, really hard to miss on a position for so many decades. You'd get lucky at least once, if you had the other pieces in place. You'd have to. Look at guys like Romo, or Warner. They're just guys off the street who developed into solid QBs.

 

While Warner may not have had a decorated college career at all; Romo did have an outstanding career at Eastern Illinois University. He was a 3 time I-AA All-American, 3 time OVC player of the year, and in his senior year he won the Walter Payton award as I-AA player of the year. Yeah, it was I-AA; but he's certainly not the first, and won't be the last, player from that level to succeed in the NFL

 

He went undrafted. You could say that about a thousand players. The fact is, he was developed very well once he got to the NFL. He didn't come in NFL-ready. The Bears couldn't have done that, and that's the point.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

Gross is going to get LT money. I dont think its worth the $ to pay him that and move him to LG or RT. Carolina is going to franchise either Gross or Peppers, id prefer they franchise Gross so the Bears can go after Peppers.

They aren't letting peppers go.

[jersey cubs fan]

Gross is going to get LT money. I dont think its worth the $ to pay him that and move him to LG or RT. Carolina is going to franchise either Gross or Peppers, id prefer they franchise Gross so the Bears can go after Peppers.

 

As a team with a cheap starting RB, inexpensive QB and no receiver making a huge amount, I think it could be smart for them to overspend a little on the line. That's essentially what they did with Tait when they first brought him over to be the RT. It was necessary at the time. They don't have a very high draft pick, and don't have any important free agents of their own to resign, meaning there will be money available to spend on the line.